Update on Jackson police station, alderman resignation

The Jackson Board of Aldermen at its last meeting approved a motion authorizing city staff to issue a Request for Qualifications under the design-build method for the police station building project, as required under Section 67.5060 of the Missouri Revised Statutes.

The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is the first official step to start the process to build a new police station.

The RFQ outlines the overview of the project, the procurement process, the requirements for submissions, and the timeline for our process of selecting a design-build construction/design team to build Jackson�s new police station.

The following project schedule has now been issued.

• May 24: Issue RFQ.
• May 31: Project information meeting for interested parties.
• June 14: Last day for design/build teams to submit questions regarding the RFQ.
• June 21: Submission of Statement of Qualification (SOQ) from teams.
• July19: Notification of the two teams picked to go forward to the final selection process.
• July-September: Issue of request for proposal and confidential individual meetings with short listed design-build teams.
• Oct. 11: Due day for final submissions and interviews with design/build teams, if requested.
• Nov. 8: Selection of design-build team for the construction of the police station.

Construction will begin in early 2019 and is estimated to take 18 to 24 months. After reviewing the project, the city has reduced the projected cost of the building to $6.5 million in the RFQ. The $7 million published during the educational part of the vote for the public safety sales tax was a preliminary estimate. The cost may be reduced additionally, during the design-build process as the teams formulate their final costs submissions.

Cape Girardeau County is going through the same process for the design-build project for the new justice center to be built in uptown Jackson. County officials are about eight weeks ahead of the City of Jackson�s timeline. Last week, the county selected the two short listed design-build teams. Penzel Construction Co./Trenor HL and River City Construction/HOK.

So the City of Jackson is off and running on this exciting project.

One disappointing, but understandable, part of the process is Alderman Phil Penzel has submitted his resignation letter to me as an alderman effective May 21. The City of Jackson released a news release May 21 concerning Alderman Penzel�s resignation.

Phil stated: �I owe an obligation to both my employees and business associates to run a successful business as well as an obligation as an elected alderman to do what is best for the City of Jackson. I will never let those two obligations conflict with one another.�

In order for Penzel Construction Inc. to pursue the design-build selection process for the new Jackson police station and to assure no issues of conflict with his position on the board, Phil has decided it is best to resign as an alderman.

I respect Phil�s decision of wanting to assure there are not any conflicts. I would like to thank Phil for his support of the City of Jackson over the years. Phil has been a member of the board of aldermen for 12 years. First serving from 2001 to 2011 and presently since 2015.

The process is now for me to recommend a replacement for Phil Penzel�s Ward 1 position. After acceptance by the board of aldermen, the person will serve until the next election in April 2019.

Dwain Hahs serves as mayor of the City of Jackson. He can be reached at mayorhahs@jacksonmo.org.